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Outsmarting Oobleck

In this video excerpt from NOVA’s "Making Stuff: Smarter", host and New York Times technology columnist David Pogue learns about the interesting behavior of some fluids with strange flow properties. Watch as he tries to run across a pool filled with Oobleck, a mixture of cornstarch and water that drastically changes its viscosity depending on how hard it is compressed. In a related activity, students mix their own batch of this “smart” material in order to explore its behavior and learn how Oobleck’s strange properties are helping materials scientists design new products and materials.

This video is available in both English and Spanish audio, along with corresponding closed captions.